Wine Blog from The International Wine of the Month Club

Champagne and All That Sparkles

November 9, 2015 by Don Lahey

Finding the Best Champagne from Around the World

All that sparkles is not Champagne, despite the enduring legacy in America to refer to any wine with bubbles as Champagne.

Champagne is an ancient province of France, and lends its name to a distinctive sparkling wine whose name and method of production are protected by law. Actual Champagne comes only from the Champagne region of France.

For centuries, Champagne has enjoyed a well-deserved reputation as a wine of conviviality and good cheer. Among critics and connoisseurs, it still weighs in as the world’s finest sparkling wine, and the most expensive. Perhaps for these reasons, most Americans continue to relegate Champagne and other fine sparkling wines to special occasions: Thanksgiving dinner, weddings, late-night holiday parties, New Year’s Eve celebrations, etc. Frankly, Champagne and other top-quality sparkling wines deserve better, not only because they add a note of celebration to any occasion, but because they also pair splendidly with a wide variety of foods.

Champagne Styles and Preparation Methods

Champagne provides the ideal accompaniment to all types of seafood and poultry, as well as many cheeses and vegetarian dishes. The traditional Champagne houses of Comte Audoin de Dampierre, Joseph Perrier, and Philipponnat offer exceptional quality and value in non-vintage Champagne to enliven any meal or add festivity to any occasion. Dampierre’s Grand Cuvée Brut, Joseph Perrier’s Cuvée Royale, and Philipponnat’s Royale Réserve Brut and Royale Réserve Rosé are especially worth seeking out. Thierry Lombard’s Magenta Cuvée Supérieure also provides exceptional quality and value in a lighter, easy-to-drink style of Champagne.

Although all that sparkles is not Champagne, many sparkling wines throughout the world are made using the same painstaking method and are well-worth seeking out. The words “traditional method,” or similar words in the producer’s language should appear on the label. California fashions many exceptional sparkling wines through the traditional method, many of which are made by French Champagne houses. For those seeking tasty California bubbly that won’t break the bank, the Signal Ridge Chardonnay Brut offers plenty to like.

Cava, often referred to as Spain’s rendition of Champagne, provides many more opportunities to enjoy fine sparkling wines made in the traditional manner. Mont Marçal from the Penèdes region of Spain, just south of Barcelona, only makes cava, and consistently fashions some of the very best vintage Brut Reserva and Rosé cavas.

Another exciting sparkling wine, and perhaps the bubbly most currently in vogue, is Italy’s prosecco. Prosecco is typically lighter in alcohol than either cava or Champagne, but it is rarely made using the painstaking traditional method whereby the wine ferments and ages in the bottle. Bortolotti from Valdobbiadene, the classic production zone for prosecco, offers an exceptional prosecco experience.

With so many excellent sparkling wines to choose from, why limit the pleasure of Champagne or fine sparkling wine to a few occasions or just one time of year? Pour a glass of good bubbly today and enjoy!

Salud!
Don

Lamb Chops Sizzled with Garlic

October 26, 2015 by Kristina Manning

Serve this ultra flavorful dish with a side of couscous or rice and your favorite steamed vegetables for a complete weeknight dinner that comes together in a flash. Pair it with a full-bodied red like Vinyes del Terrer Nus del Terrer D.O. Tarragona 2010 from our Collectors Series.

Ingredients:

Eight 1/2-inch-thick lamb loin chops (about 2 pounds), fatty tips trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Pinch of dried thyme
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 small garlic cloves, halved
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Pinch of crushed red pepper

Directions:

Season the lamb with salt and pepper and sprinkle lightly with thyme. In a very large skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the lamb chops and garlic and cook over moderately high heat until the chops are browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn the chops and garlic and cook until the chops are browned, about 2 minutes longer for medium meat. Transfer the chops to plates, leaving the garlic in the skillet.

Add the water, lemon juice, parsley and crushed red pepper to the pan and cook, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom, until sizzling, about 1 minute. Pour the garlic and pan sauce over the lamb chops and serve immediately.

Recipe from Janet Mendel courtesy of www.foodandwine.com

What to Look For in October

October 23, 2015 by Don Lahey

In October, The International Wine of the Month Club’s Premier Series features four very exciting and unique wines. First among them is the newly released 2014 Tierra y Mar Page-Nord Vineyard Napa Valley Syrah. Tierra y Mar, a new Napa Valley venture that specializes in producing small lots of premium varietals from exceptional vineyards, has fashioned a knockout Syrah from the renowned Page-Nord Vineyard in what is rightly acclaimed as a great vintage. In the 2014 Page-Nord Syrah, classic Syrah aromas of forest berries, violets, and clove fold seamlessly into black fruit, chocolate, and spice flavors to offer a true palate- pleasing experience. Also featured this month is the 2014 Can Feixes Blanc Seleccio, a pure, dry white wine made from organic grapes that hails from one of Spain’s oldest estates. White wine doesn’t get any more natural or vibrant than the Can Feixes Blanc Seleccio. From Italy’s pastoral Marches flows the 2012 Boccadigabbia Rosso Piceno, a bold, big-boned red wine from Montepulciano and Sangiovese grapes, which makes an ideal accompaniment to highly flavored Italian specialties. Last, but not least, is one of Rome’s specialties, the 2014 Costantini Borgo del Cedro Frascati Superiore. Made from organically grown grapes, you won’t want to miss this Frascati from the region’s premier producer.

This month, The International Wine of the Month Club’s Collectors Series is proud to offer three rare and exceptional wines. The 2010 Vinyes del Terrer Nus del Terrer, a super-saturated blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Garnacha that garnered 92 Points from Josh Raynolds’ International Wine Cellar, offers a rare look at Spanish Cabernet Sauvignon and old vine Garnacha. Nus del Terrer is complex, highly perfumed, and packed with flavor. On a lighter note, this month’s Collectors Series white wine, the 2012 Marco Felluga Molamatta Collio Bianco, is one of Northern Italy’s finest and offers a delicious blend of the region’s signature varietals: Pinot Bianco, Tocai Friulano, and Ribolla Gialla. Collio produces Italy’s greatest white wines and Marco Felluga ranks among the region’s iconic producers. And finally, we have the 2010 Respite Reichel Vineyard Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, a decadent, beautifully balanced Cabernet Sauvignon that has it all and delivers from the moment it is poured. Enjoy!

Salud!
Don!

Chicken and Mushrooms with Couscous

October 12, 2015 by Kristina Manning

Fall is here and this simple and quick dish featuring mushrooms, chicken, and couscous with apricots will please everyone in your family and guests alike! Pair it with a full white wine, such as, our Premier Series wine Bodega Huguet Can Feixes Penedès Blanc Selecció.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds cremini mushrooms, halved
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts (2 to 2 1/2 pounds)
1 cup whole-wheat or regular couscous
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or dill
Plain yogurt, for serving (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the mushrooms, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the garlic, cumin, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste on a rimmed baking sheet.

Rub the chicken breasts with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken skin-side up among the mushrooms. Roast until the chicken skin is crisp and golden and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165 degrees F, 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the couscous with the chopped apricots as the package directs. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the chicken to plates. Toss the mushrooms with the lemon juice, cilantro or dill, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve the chicken with the mushrooms, couscous and yogurt.

Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen from www.foodnetwork.com

Syrah: California’s Other
Great American Red Wine

October 9, 2015 by Don Lahey

Aussies call it Shiraz, Americans refer to it as Syrah, but for all intents and purposes, it’s the same great grape. Syrah reigns as Australia’s premier grape variety, garnering the accolades and attention reserved in America for California Cabernet.

Yet, American Syrah is every bit as exciting as Australian Shiraz, and it’s often more complex and compelling. Furthermore, premium California Syrahs remain veritable bargains in comparison to the Golden State’s top Cabernets. So, why don’t we drink more Syrah?

The fact is, America is just starting to discover Syrah, and California’s acumen with the nation’s other great red varietal may, in the not so distant future, rival Cabernet Sauvignon in popularity and quality.

Napa Valley, Santa Barbara County, and California’s Central Coast contain a trove of great Syrah wines. From Napa Valley, one can always count on outstanding Syrah from Colgin, Konsgaard, and Phelps, to name just a few of Napa’s iconic producers of this varietal, but at a price.

Equally persuasive and even more complex are the Syrah wines from Santa Barbara County and California’s Central Coast region. Alban, Beckmen, Carlisle, Jaffurs, Olai, Sin Qua Non, Stolpman, and Tensley fashion pure, polished Syrahs to make even the most diehard Cabernet drinker swoon. Moreover, many of these Central Coast Syrahs provide tremendous pleasure even in their first few years of life, unlike the state’s top Cabernets, and these Syrahs can be cellared to perfection for up to a decade or more.

Best of all, one doesn’t have to be a billionaire to drink great California Syrah. Producers such as Beckmen and Stolpman fashion Syrahs that qualify as the finest quality and value wines among all premium California varietals. Enjoy!

Salud!
Don

What to Look For This Month

September 25, 2015 by Don Lahey

In September, The International Wine of the Month Club’s Premier Series features four special offerings, two of which are from Cienega Valley’s Pietra Santa Vineyards. This month includes Pietra Santa’s award-winning 2010 Estate Sangiovese, which recently received 91 points from Wine Enthusiast, and the 2014 Pietra Santa Estate Chardonnay, a rare, highly allocated Chardonnay that’s making its first appearance with The International Wine of the Month Club. For several years, we have been trying to secure enough of Pietra Santa’s elegant Macon-style Chardonnay, and we’ve finally been able to procure just enough to satisfy our membership. Also on tap this month is the 2014 Valle Secreto Key Cabernet Sauvignon Carmenère. Bring on the barbecue and light the grill for this tasty blend. Finally, to round out September’s line-up, we recommend beginning an evening or event with the 2014 Bisci Verdicchio Matelica from the Marche’s finest producer. It makes a great aperitif and provides the ideal complement to seafood.

This month, The International Wine of the Month’s Collectors Series is proud to offer the 2012 Stolpman Vineyards Ballard Canyon Estate Syrah. It’s hard to imagine a better Syrah, and its 94 point score from Wine Enthusiast will attest to that fact. Equally compelling is the 2014 Sigalas Santorini Assyrtiko from one of the oldest and most distinctive grape varieties on earth. The extremely rare, 100% Sigalas Santorini Assyrtiko is the finest white wine we have ever tasted from Greece. Last, but certainly not least, is the 2012 Domaine du Grand Tinel Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which scored 91 points from Wine Advocate. A classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape from an outstanding vintage, Grand Tinel is one of the finest and most consistent producers of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Looking ahead to October, we will feature the outstanding, highly allocated 2010 Vinyes del Terrer Nus del Terrer, a profound blend of Garnacha (Grenache) and Cabernet Sauvignon from a tiny vineyard in northern Spain. This is just one of many exciting, upcoming features. Enjoy!

Sea Bass Fillets with Lemon-Hazelnut Brown Butter

September 21, 2015 by Kristina Manning

Fast and easy, this impressive dish pairs great with steamed veggies and Domaine Sigalas Santorini Assyrtiko 2014 from this month’s Collector’s Series!

Sea Bass Fillets with Lemon-Hazelnut Brown Butter Ingredients:

1/2 cup hazelnuts
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Four 6-ounce sea bass fillets
All-purpose flour, for dredging
2 large eggs, beaten

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°. On a baking sheet, toast the hazelnuts for 8 minutes, until fragrant. Using a clean kitchen towel, rub the skins off the nuts. Coarsely chop the hazelnuts.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the bread crumbs with the parsley, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
In a skillet, cook 4 tablespoons of the butter over moderate heat until browned, about 4 minutes. Add the chopped nuts and fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter in the olive oil over moderate heat. Season the sea bass fillets with salt and pepper, then dredge them in flour, dip in the beaten eggs and coat with the parsley and bread crumb mixture. When the butter starts to brown slightly, add the fillets to the skillet and cook until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip the fillets and cook until just white throughout, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer the fish to plates, spoon the browned butter alongside and serve.

Recipe and photo from www.foodandwine.com.

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